FLINT, Michigan — Lorne Knauft has resigned as head coach of the Lapeer Loggers and the impact that will have on the club or the All-American Hockey League is uncertain but it appears as if the team won't play two games scheduled for this weekend.

Knauft told The Journal Thursday night that he was stepping down for a variety of reasons that include the club's financial problems as well as concerns that the players might not have insurance if they take the ice for Friday night's game in Battle Creek.

Knauft did not want to comment and chose to issue a statement instead. Janet Mann, a manager at the Polar Palace where the Loggers play home games, endorsed the statement to The Journal. Team and league officials could not be reached for comment.

“The ownership has not come back into town and looked after the financial responsibilities of the team in a manner that would be fitting for the team to keep on existing,” said Knauft, who has not been paid in a month. “At this point, we are not sure if this means the team is folding or the league is folding.

“The league has not stepped in to assume any of the debt or the financial responsibilities. One of the reasons I will not be associated with it is because I am unsure whether or not our workman's comp and insurance have been paid and if anybody was to be hurt on the ice, I think they could come back after me, the league and the arena.

“I do not want to be part of something that could jeopardize my financial well being.

Knauft said the players are owed money and Mann said the rink is also owed money by the Loggers. Knauft and Mann both said that league officials did not return their phone calls Thursday and Mann said there would be no home game Sunday against Battle Creek at the Polar Palace.

Mann said she did not believe Friday night's game would be played either although Knauft said one of the players told him he was trying to round up enough players to make the trip to Battle Creek.

“The Polar Palace and the Loggers players and coaches have been misled and (we) apologize for any misconceptions the fans have,” said Mann, who wasn't sure how season-ticket holders would be reimbursed if the Loggers do indeed fold.

“Basically, the league has washed its hands of any financial responsibility of the team.”

The team was an immediate hit, drawing a sellout crowd of 1,240 at the Polar Palace for the franchise's debut, a 3-2 loss to the Troy Bruins Oct. 22.

The Loggers have been solid on the ice, sitting in second place with a 10-6-0-1 record.

But off the ice, the Loggers have had problems for more than a month. They began back in late November, when an immigration snafu left several Canadian players unable to play and led to the forfeit of a game Nov. 28 in Cincinnati.

Then on Dec. 17, in their last game before the holiday break, the Loggers refused to take the ice after warmups until they had been paid back wages.

They received some of the money before the game, went out and beat the Queen City Storm 8-4 in front of a sellout crowd of 1,140 on Stanley Cup Night, and received more money afterward.

Even if the Loggers want to play Friday, they might be able to field a complete lineup since the Canadian players apparently still don't have their immigration paperwork complete.

“The Canadians … were told they could go home, back to Canada,” Knauft said in his statement. “They were not supposed to go to Canada so our seven or eight Canadians cannot get back across to border to participate in any games nor will they be able to participate until their P1 visas are done.

“That will be anywhere from two to four weeks.”

Despite the problems, the Loggers lead the AAHL attendance with an average of 782 in 10 games, two more than any other team in the league. The AAHL average is 569 for 40 total games.

The league, which is considered to be Single A — one level below what the Flint Generals played in last season — and has problems since it was formed in 2008-09 with four teams. When Detroit folded at midseason, it was replaced by a club from Chicago.

Last season, the AAHL began with six teams but two franchises — from Madison and Chicago — folded at midseason while a new Detroit club moved to Muskegon.